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For Derek Snowdon.....
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Message
Posted
Nothing to do with painting, or maybe it is. You know I had a stroke last year as you commented on my blog back in February. In a nutshell it took my speech and my right arm, one minute we were eating dinner the next in an ambulance with all blues and two's racing to the hospital in Friday evening rush hour!!! I consider myself so lucky. I survived the stroke. My right arm came back to normal quite quickly, but my speech took until the Monday to start to return. I couldn't even count to ten or recite the alphabet. Very scary. But I understood all that was said to me. The MRI showed two strokes on the left hand side of my brain. I was in a dark place for a while. The occupational therapist who visited me at home after I was released from hospital asked if I had any hobbies. I managed to stammer out that I used to paint. She said it may be good if I rekindled it again. And I did.
I'm pleased to say my speech is almost back to normal but I still hesitate at times and can't speak as quickly as I used to, I consider I'm very lucky. I like challenges, hence getting started on portrait painting. I like painting buildings and seascapes and anything of interest that takes my eye. I love life.....it's too short so I live it to the full now.
That's my story. Thank you for asking Derek. I hope you are okay too.
Ellen
Posted
Thanks Ellen, seemed to have missed your post but have been busy getting back into things (other than POL) yes there is another life.
You had a much more of a hit than me, they dispersed the clot with ultra heat and I was out after 2 days in hospital. Speech is not right according to me but nobody else notices. The motor nerves are damaged in the right hand but I manage, hence the new style. My biggest real worry at present is getting through the dad's speech at our daughter's wedding in 3 weeks time. Reading my notes, trying to project, entertain and get the words to come out in the correct order etc etc.
With my major accident 4 years back, two fractured legs, 2 fractured fingers, 3 skull fractures, puntured lung, and then the stroke, all said because I was fit and healthy helped a lot in my recovery.
Keep at it sweetie, exercise if you can, the painting helps a lot, as does quietly reading and contemplating the navel now and then. Not sure I can still see mine.
Posted
I met Derek for the first time a couple of weeks ago - apart from a little wobbliness on the pins, which for different reasons I share, you'd not know he'd had a stroke or any misfortune at all; and even that is hardly noticeable. So take comfort, all who fall victim to a stroke - they can do great things these days, which sadly were not available to my lovely grandfather when he suffered one in around 1976, and I'm sure it helped that Derek was one of those eccentric beings who is a hasher - they go on runs in the country, interspersed with social activities including a beer or three: in short, he's ten years older than I am, and walks better than I do. AND he never seems to stop doing things - he puts me to shame.
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk